Mindy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the age of NPH (not the actor) and Regular when she was 7 years old. She’s been involved in the diabetes community since she was diagnosed and got involved in the online community when she started her blog (Telling Type 1 Diabetes Who’s Boss – which she recently changed to There’s More to the Story after getting diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and OCD.) Today, Mindy is guest posting about how her low blood sugars can go from goofy to goat cheese in a matter of seconds. Read on to see what I mean.

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When I’m low, I get extra chatty and very loopy. I’m already chatty without outside (well inside) factors and loopy- hello ADHD! Add the low blood sugar, and it becomes quite entertaining. After fighting with lows for four days, I’ll take the entertaining because well … the little things, right?

No seriously. Blood sugar, what in the world is going on? I actually still don’t know (even called the endo!)

I made changes; lowered Lantus, lowered basals, changed ratios and corrections, lots of juice, lots of snacks (should I be truthful and mention the Chinese food, fried food, red velvet cake, chocolate covered pretzels, gummi-bears, and beyond I have consumed this week? Most were related to lows- but a few- I was in a bad mood and wanted it).

Some of the nights I woke up high. Needless to say, I was exhausted. The lack of sleep, emotions of the entire thing, and how my body was feeling (plus the heat wave that hit the Northeast)-led for a very fun Mindy. I am so grateful for the understanding people I have in my life who read my texts and tweets, saw my snaps, and stayed with me on the phone during lows (even during a bad mood).

Everything is hilarious at this point and once the giggle fest starts, nothing can stop me.

You can find me screaming “KITTY” everywhere I go and the cat is terrified. I chase him for love that he doesn’t want to be a part of.
I have a knack for getting lost and being clumsy and low BG makes it even worse. I’ve been walking around with my arms extended ready for a fall and extra time for the navigation purposes.

My new favorite low moment? Thursday night (not the fact that I couldn’t get my blood sugar up until 1AM and not the fact that I couldn’t enjoy my delicious cupcake because nothing tasted delicious and my stomach was a mess).

After my third juice and complaining while giggling, I SHOT up and screamed “GOAT CHEESE.” I immediately ran to the fridge grabbed a container and a spoon. Ran back to the living room. Kept standing in the middle of the room (because that’s how I roll. There’s something about a low blood sugar that wants me to keep moving- at camp people chased me to sit down to treat a low and eventually get a mini-glucagon). Enjoying the delicious goat cheese (and remembering to take a Lactaid!). I also added some awkward low-infused dancing (to some silent music or maybe very quiet music?). In between spoons of goat cheese, I used the spoon as a wand or pretended to be a conductor.

Yes. That all happened.

I also embrace my child-like sass and blame my endo for bringing up the low blood sugar conversation – about how we don’t want lows – Which makes me gawk every time and ask how? I’m trying to decide if I would rather go the endo while it’s my period and trying to discover the magic formula for not being high during it (like I did last week) or in the middle of constant lows like this week.

Gosh, I thought the “real world” would make blood sugar management easier. You can take the college out of the girl but not the T1D, unfortunately.

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In addition to telling her story here today on SUM, Mindy is the Program Assistant at the College Diabetes Network, CDN, in Boston, MA. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of Georgia in May of 2015 with a Bachelor’s in Social Work and minor in Sociology (which throws her immediately into that aforementioned “real world.”)

After living in Georgia in a small town, her whole life and being Pre-Law since she was 14, she decide law school wasn’t right for her and moved to Boston. In addition to the diabetes bits and pieces, she thoroughly enjoys diabetes camp, travel, crafts, running, quotes, reading, binge-watching Netflix, and being awkward. You can follow her on twitter and Instagram @mindy_bartleson. Thanks for sharing your story today, Mindy!

My visiting sister – once innocently stated, “Oh, I’ll just sit with you and chat while you drink your juice.”
I don’t think so – sit and chat?
But – I haven’t danced around the living room – yet.
Nice to “meet” you.

[…] I am still SO honored that Kerri from Six Until Me asked me to write a guest post! Wait, what? This is real life. I guess my persistent lows last week were good for something? Check it out- “Kitty!! And Other Low Tales” […]

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NONE of the information on this site is medical advice. None. If you are thinking about making changes in your diabetes care, talk with your doctor. Don’t take advice from people on the Internet as “medical advice.” I am not a doctor. I can’t even drive stick.